The host nation Peru pulled one out of the bag at the talks—while a serious breakdown seemed imminent as time ran out, a last minute agreement was produced two days after the conference was scheduled to finish.
By Guy Edwards and Timmons Roberts The United Nations climate change negotiations live to fight another day, and Latin American countries have played important roles in their advance. The results of the Lima climate conference, or “COP20,” last December are generally considered a success—albeit a very limited one.
The host nation Peru pulled one out of the bag at the talks—while a serious breakdown seemed imminent as time ran out, a last minute agreement was produced two days after the conference was scheduled to finish. By Guy Edwards, Victoria Hoffmeister and Alison Kirsch At the U.N. climate conference in Lima last December, the Climate and Development Lab (CDL) co-organized a side event with Nivela.org and the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), with the support of the Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental (SPDA).
By Timmons Roberts The ending of climate negotiations last week in Lima was remarkably positive, given that as late as the morning before many challenges still seemed almost insurmountable. The final draft agreement may not be strong, but it does point the way towards a deal that will be decided this time next year in Paris. This glass is half full, because it has to be.
By Marcela Jaramillo and Camila Bustos Here we share a summary of Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos speech at the UN Climate Summit and our reflection on it. While we praise Santos rhetoric calling for a progressive and ambitious agreement in 2015, we wonder if his commitment to sustainable development will also apply to domestic policies on fossil fuel exploration, particularly fracking. By Guy Edwards and Jakob Skovgaard
Christiana Figueres, the head of the UN body on climate change, visited Lima last week as Peru prepares to host the annual UN climate talks in December. Figueres was vocal in her comments that the Lima conference needs to secure a draft agreement before the deadline summit in Paris next year to create a new climate agreement. The chief of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change commented that government efforts to confront climate change are woefully inadequate. She also cited recent research by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which affirms that the window of opportunity to keep global temperature within 2C and avoid dangerous climate impacts is rapidly closing. This reminds us of the relentless pressure facing presidents of the annual UN climate Conference of the Parties (COP). Manual Pulgar-Vidal, Minister of Environment of Peru and COP20 President's talk at Brown University4/16/2014
![]() April 16, 2014 - Time: High Level Plenary Sessions 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Location: Joukowsky Forum, Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University -111 Thayer Street - Providence, RI The conference will be live-streamed and will be available to view after the conference. Description: The conference “Governing Climate Change” will take place on April 16, 2014 at Brown University. The conference is co-organized by the Climate and Development Lab and Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. ![]() By Guy Edwards and J. Timmons Roberts China’s rapidly increasing investment, trade and loans in Latin America may be entrenching high-carbon development pathways in the region, a trend scarcely mentioned in policy circles. High-carbon activities include the extraction of fossil fuels and other natural resources, expansion of large-scale agriculture and the energy-intensive stages of processing natural resources into intermediate goods. This paper addresses three examples, including Chinese investments in Venezuela’s oil sector and a Costa Rican oil refinery, and Chinese investment in and purchases of Brazilian soybeans. |
CDL in the News
28 Dec 2018 - Edwards in the NYT on electric vehicles in Latin America 24 Dec 2018 - The Public's Radio RI interviews Roberts on how the fossil fuel industry outspends environmental groups on campaign contributions & lobbying 19 Dec 2018 - EcoRI News: New Report Claims RI Climate Council Falling Behind Targets 17 Dec 2018 - 'We must move beyond business as usual,' says new report on Rhode Island's inadequate climate plan. 12 Dec 2018 - Isabel Cavelier, Guy Edwards and Lina Puerto “COP25 en 2019: reto y oportunidad para elevar la ambición climática en América Latina” El Espectador 4 Dec 2018 - Whitehouse, Ciciline meet with climate lab 28 Nov 2018 - Edwards quoted in New York Times story on Brazil backing out of hosting UN summit on climate change 11 Oct 2018 - Brookings Institute Climate reality requires starting at home: Weaning from fossil fuels 23 Sep 2018 - Edwards quoted in Financial Times on Argentina energy future 13 Jul 2018 - Europe and Latin America can blaze a trail on implementing the Paris Agreement 1 Jun 2018 - Brookings Institute One year since Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement 21 May 2018 - Edwards article in World Politics Review: Is the G-20 Heading for a Showdown With Trump on Climate Change? 11 May 2018 - Edwards Op-Ed in Washington Post 22 Jan 2018 - Roberts Op-Ed The climate solution no-one in Davos will be talking about 15 Dec 2017 - Edwards' article on how Regional and domestic politics could sabotage Brazil's bid to host UN climate change talks in 2019 8 Nov 2017 - Roberts quoted in Reuters story on financing loss and damage 9 Oct 2017 - EcoRI article describes Roberts' testimony against the natural gas power plant proposed for construction in Burrillville, Rhode Island 17 Sep 2017 - BBC Radio 5 featured a live interview with Roberts about Trump's conditions for staying in Paris 4 Sep 2017 - Roberts comments on the use of his work in a report by Rhode Island Department of Health on the proposed power plant in Burrillville, Rhode Island 17 Jul 2017 - Roberts mentioned in NPR's story on the US having a say in UN climate spending 15 Jul 2017 - Roberts calls for solid climate policies in RI 5 Jul 2017 - Roberts demands swifter action on CO2 release 5 Jul 2017 - Roberts demands RI Governor Raimondo to take climate action 30 Jun 2017 - Roberts gives advice on owning and using electric cars 23 Jun 2017 - Roberts comments on how voters are persuaded by the terms 'climate change' and 'global warming' 20 Jun 2017 - Roberts' involvement in local climate group is helping to fight fossil fuel development 3 Jun 2017 - WPRO Radio's Steve Klamkin interviews Roberts on the Paris Agreement 2 Jun 2017 - Roberts comments on US involvement in the Green Climate Fund 2 Jun 2017 - BBC Radio 5's Faye Rusco interviews Roberts on Trump's withdrawal from Paris 2 Jun 2017 - Roberts discusses the role of mayors and private sector companies post US pull-out of Paris 1 Jun 2017 - Roberts gives more details about the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement 1 Jun 2017 - Roberts organizes emergency protest in RI 1 Jun 2017 - Roberts comments on the implications of US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement 1 Jun 20117 - Roberts share his views on the US exit from the Paris Accord 31 May 2017 - Roberts cited on the far-reaching implications of US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement 31 May 2017 - RI left vulnerable if US pulls out of Paris Accord, says Roberts 24 May 2017 - Roberts chimes in on Trump's proposed EPA budget 30 Apr 2017 - Roberts helps to 'fact check' Trump's first 100 days in office 25 Apr 2017 - Roberts lobbies for people's march in RI to mark Trump's first 100 days in office 23 Apr 2017 - Roberts cautions against threats to science at march for science in Rhode Island 7 Apr 2017 - White House Chronicle's Llewelyn King interviews Roberts on Trump’s executive order and climate policy directions 10 Mar 2017 - Roberts quoted in Providence Business News about new proposed fossil fuel infrastructure in Rhode Island 6 Feb 2017 - Devex article on climate finance under the new administration quotes Roberts 18 Jan 2017 - Roberts featured in NPR Marketplace segment on Obama's $500m donation to the Green Climate Fund 29 Dec 2016 - Roberts quoted in Common Dreams article about the state of environmental justice in 2016 19 Nov 2016 - EcoRI profiles Roberts and the new Civic Alliance for a Cooler Rhode Island 14 Nov 2016 - Roberts featured in Rhode Island Public Radio segment on Trump and the Paris Agreement 12 Nov 2016 - Roberts quoted in Climate Home article on Republican plans to defund climate change programs 10 Nov 2016 - Roberts quote appears in EcoRI article about Trump and the environment 9 Nov 2016 - Roberts quoted in InsideClimate News article on COP22 reaction to Trump's election 9 Nov 2016 - Science Daily discusses new CDL article on paying for loss and damage 9 Nov 2016 - Roberts quoted in Climate Home article on COP22 reaction to Trump's election 8 Nov 2016 - Roberts' paper on paying for loss and damage discussed and quoted in Phys.Org 7 Nov 2016 - Roberts' paper on paying for loss and damage discussed and quoted in Futurity article 21 Sep 2016 - Roberts quoted in a Breitbart News article about Clinton's support following shift in climate change language 20 Sep 2016 - Roberts quoted in a Climate Home article on Clinton's language around climate change after Sanders' endorsement 5 May 2016 – Climate Home quotes Edwards on the announcement that Patricia Espinosa will lead the UNFCCC from this July 5 May 2016 - Dialogo Chino quotes Edwards following announcement that Patricia Espinosa will replace Christiana Figueres as head of the UNFCCC 24 Apr 2016 - Deutsche Welle quotes Edwards on how ratifying Paris Agreement can boost prosperity in Latin America 23 Mar 2016 – Edwards provides extended quote to Dialogo Chino on Obama’s trip to Cuba and Argentina 25 Dec 2015 - ConexiónCOP conversó con Guy Edwards sobre el nuevo acuerdo climático y America Latina 14 Dec 2015 - Rhode Island Public Radio quotes Roberts on how Paris Climate Pact should steer New England toward clean energy 11 Dec 2015 - Associated Press quotes Romain Weikmans on “Wild West” account on climate finance 10 Dec 2015 - Climate Home talks to Roberts about the lack of an independent system on climate finance Read more... 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